It?s the time of year for family gatherings

Yesterday after church services we had our annual Christmas potluck dinner. As always there was way too much food: Casseroles, ham and cheese sandwiches, salads, vegetables, dip, puddings, cakes, pies, and so forth were on the menu. I took a big bowl of homemade potato salad.

Our church district has a lot of little children, so there are plenty of people to feed on a day like that. There are over 100 children under the age of 16 in our church. The potluck was held in the basement of the home where the services were held. We set the meal up buffet-style so the men and boys file through on one end, the girls and women on the other so there are two serving lines to help things move faster.

Jacob, Emma and family came to our house after the potluck and we played games. The girls popped popcorn and we had peanuts in shells to enjoy. It?s a family tradition for us to have the peanuts in shells around Christmas time. My grandparents always had peanuts in shells and an orange in our bag of candy each Christmas.

We would always celebate Christmas at Grandpa Graber?s on New Year?s Day. They lived down the road from us so my aunts, uncles and cousins would gather at our house early in the morning. We would then all go over to Grandpa?s together. It would still be dark when we got there early in the morning. Everyone gathered around their door and we would sing the traditional New Year?s song. Grandpa and Grandma would come to the door and while everyone kept singing we would all gather into their house. Their house was attached to Uncle Henry and Aunt Barbara?s house, which was also used for that day.

Grandpa and Grandma would sit on their rockers while all of us grandchildren lined up to take our turns to wish them a happy New Year. We were 88 grandchildren in all by the time I was a young girl, so it took awhile for everyone to greet them.

The years go so fast and now my grandparents, mother, father and aunts and uncles have passed away. Four out of the eight of mother?s siblings have passed away.

It was nice to receive a letter this past week from Aunt Lovina who lives in Ohio. I was named after her. I also happened to run into two of my cousins, who are Lovina?s daughters, in town last week. We reminisced about our growing up years and all the good times we had together. It was nice to see them all again.

We are still planning to have Joe?s family here for Christmas on Jan. 7. My sister, Leah, and her husband, Paul, will wait until next year to have our annual Christmas gathering.

The Christmas season is filled with so many gatherings going on it is sometimes hard to find a day which suits everybody. Leah and Paul last had the Christmas gathering in 2004. It is hard to believe seven years have passed already. We all take turns holding the annual gathering. There are eight siblings, but sisters Susan and Verena take their turns together since they are both single.

The family has grown in the last seven years. None of my nieces and nephews were married seven years ago. Now eight of them are married and my parents have 17 great-grandchildren.

Thursday the 22nd my husband Joe will have his 43rd birthday. That will be his last day of work this year. They will have two weeks off from the factory and go back to work Jan. 9. Children will be home from school the same days Joe will.

Kevin, 6, reminded me today that we only have to sleep one more time before their Christmas school program. Joseph, 9, reminded us that there are only six days until Christmas. We wish each of you readers a blessed Christmas. May you enjoy the holidays with friends and loved ones.

Here is a different snack for Christmas:

FRUITY POPCORN BALLS

6 quarts plain popped popcorn

3 cups large marshmallows (about 36)

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons fruit-flavored gelatin

Place popcorn in a large bowl. In a medium saucepan over low heat cook marshmallows, butter and gelatin until smoothly blended. Remove from the heat and pour the marshmallow mixture over the popcorn and mix well. Form the popcorn mixture into three-inch balls and let set until firm on lightly buttered cookie sheets. Makes two dozen.